xviii, 446 pages : 22 cm

Includes bibliographical references and index

ch. I. The Vargas era: 1930-1945 -- 1930: revolution of the elite -- The "revolutionary" coalition of 1930 -- New political forces: 1930-1935 -- The collapse of democracy: 1935-1937 -- New patterns of government and politics -- New directions in economic policy -- ch. II. The end of the Estado Nôvo and the Dutra years -- The dictator loses control -- The rebirth of democratic politics -- The election of 1945 and the constitution of 1946: a new Brazil? -- The Dutra years -- Vargas returns -- ch. III. A new Vargas era: 1951-1954 -- Brazilian society and the question of economic development -- Formulae for growth -- Economic policy-making: orthodoxy and nationalism -- Foci of opposition: the UDN and the military -- Increasing social tensions -- 1953: a new political strategy -- An attempt at economic stabilization -- Vargas neglects the middle class -- The crisis unfolds -- February 1954: test of power -- Equivocation and polarization -- From assassination to suicide -- ch. IV. Government by caretaker: 1954-1956 -- Politics without Vargas -- The presidential election of 1955: return of the "ins" -- Inauguration or coup? -- The military intervenes: a coup for "legality" -- Attacking inflation: accomplishments and limitations -- ch. V. Years of confidence: the Kubitschek era -- The economics of confidence -- Symbols and strategies -- Support and opposition -- Inflation again -- Nationalism and development: the troubled dialogue -- The limits of improvisation -- ch. VI. Jânio Quadros: agonizing interlude -- The rise of the outsider -- Presidential election: defeat of the "ins" -- Unorthodox policies and uncertain support -- Quadros resigns -- ch. VII. Goulart in power: the deadlock prolonged -- From Jânio to Jango: a military veto? -- Compromise solution: parliamentary president -- Marking time -- Goulart wins full presidential powers -- The political spectrum and the extremists -- Party lines -- A five-month experiment: development and reform -- Fighting inflation -- Divisive issues: foreign capital and agrarian reform -- The failure of presidential nerve -- ch. VIII. Brazilian democracy breaks down: 1963-1964 -- Mobilization and the loss of consensus -- Lessons of the Dantas-Furtado phase -- Rehearsal for defeat -- Presidential options and conspiratorial opposition -- Financial pressure: no exit -- Presidential hopefuls: support for democratic politics -- The Left: divided and overconfident -- A president's fate: Friday the thirteenth -- From conspiracy to "revolution": the fall of Goulart -- Epilogue: the search for a new political order -- The victors and the vanquished -- Coup or revolution? -- The awkward electorate -- Development and stabilization vs. democracy: Brazil's dilemma -- Appendix: The United States role in João Goulart's fall

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